Article 3 : 5 Critical Factors To Setting Up A Successful Soap Business

Setting up a business is a very big step for a lot of people and it’s not something that is easily done. There are a lot of factors to consider when setting up, and most of the time the investment in terms of time and dollars that you will be putting in is no joke. That is why devoting time and energy to researching your market is a critical step to making sure your business will flourish.

So how do you make sure that you have a market for your product, which in this case is home made soap? Or rather, how do you make sure that your product will fill a need of your target market?

Here are 5 points to keep in mind when you are doing your preliminary research.

1. Look out for trends. Watching out for trends can help you anticipate what people will want in the future. For example, if you observe that people are becoming more and more conscious of the need to save the environment, maybe you should start developing soap products that are environment friendly. Or if people are becoming even more health conscious, a line of antibacterial and energizing soap products would be a good way to take advantage of that trend.

2. Check out your competition. Another way to figure out what people want is to look at what’s already selling. You can also try to find out what new products they’ll be offering soon. This will give a good starting point to develop a product that is better or that carries a higher value proposition to your market.

3. Define Your Brand. In order to stand out and appear unique is to develop your own brand identity. Your brand identity is simply who you are and why you are different from everybody else. What will your products stand for? When defining your brand, look not only at the functionalities or physical properties that will differentiate your products, but also at the kind of emotional reaction you want your target market to have to your product. Also, look for the benefits that your target market values the most and let that guide you as to what kind of brand identity you should establish.

4. Focus on service. As more and more products become generic or easy to copy, your level of service becomes an important way to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Do you make it easy for your customers to buy from you? Do you seek out their comments and actively look for ways to exceed their expectations? Will you offer extra services that will keep them coming back for you? These are the things you would want to define to help you succeed in selling your own soap products.

5. Leveraging on the internet and other “FREE” marketing mediums. When reaching your customers nowadays, it’s not always necessary to start out with a brick and mortar store. You can leverage on the power of the internet to sell your products from the comfort of your home. Aside from lower set up costs and investment on your end, you also get access to an international audience or market for your soap products. Aside from using the internet, you could also explore the option of tying up with established merchants who can offer your product to their customers (for example party planners who can recommend your soap as a party favor). This is another way to start your business without too much risk on your part.

The opportunities are endless for people who know where to look. To get more insights into how you can start your own soap making business, I recommend you check out the book “The Super Soap making Book” This book talks about how you can create different kinds of soap and soap products (like liquid soaps and bath bombs) and sell them for profit. You can learn more about this book here:

The Super Soap Making Book:
A Beginner’s Guide To Soap Making

To learn More, Here!

NOTE: Picture (s) and content are original and should not be used without permission of the author - Christophe Leroy - aka cleroy61, Copyright 2013, All rights reserved.

All third party products, brands or trademarks listed above are the sole property of their respective owners. No affiliation or endorsement is intended or implied.

Article 2 : First Aid and Safety Guidelines When Handling Lye

When creating soap using the hot method or the cold method, handling lye is inevitable. Lye is one of the ingredients used in making soap. It is also known by its other names, such as caustic soda and sodium hydroxide.

Lye is a very dangerous chemical. It is considered as an acid. It could cause blindness when it enters your eyes, can cause severe burns when it comes in contact with your skin, and could be fatal when swallowed. Obviously, staying conscious of the safety precautions when working with lye is necessary in order to prevent injury to yourself and to the people around you.

Here are some safety guidelines you need to observe when using and storing this essential soap making chemical.

Consult with the saponification value table and compute the amount of lye you need to use, which changes depending on the type of oil you use and its quantity. Even when using recipes, it’s good practice to still double check the computation to make sure that the amount of lye you are using is sufficient (not to little, and not too much) for your recipe.

Mix your chemicals in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. When lye mixes with oils, a vapor is produced which should not be inhaled.

When mixing together your lye and water, always add lye to water and never the other way around. This is because lye is acidic and has a higher ph level compared to water, and you should always add the higher ph level chemical to a lower ph level substance slowly.

Have apple cider vinegar close by all the time as a safety precaution in case you get lye on your skin or on your clothes. It has properties that can neutralize lye. Milk is another substance that can neutralize lye.

Make sure that the materials that you will use and will come in contact with lye are NOT made of iron, cast iron, plastic, aluminum and Teflon because lye will easily corrode these materials. What you should use instead are stainless steel containers.

Wear protective rubber gloves, industrial aprons or suit and goggles when working with lye. This is to prevent lye from getting into contact with your skin accidentally.

When storing lye, keep it out of reach of children and pets.

Be sure to label the container you store lye in appropriately. It should say that the chemical inside is dangerous and poisonous.

Always clean up after your done when working with chemicals like lye. Do not leave it lying around.

Create a list of the emergency numbers of agencies you can call in case an accident does occur and post them in a place where everybody can see them.

When stored, keep away from heat and moisture. Store it in a cool and dry place that is out of reach of children and pets.

Lye should be kept in an airtight container. This is because lye easily absorbs moisture, even moisture in the air.

Here are some first aid you need to know in case of accidents with lye:

1. If swallowed: Do not induce vomiting. Call for emergency help at once.

2. If it gets into your eyes: Flush you eyes with water for 20 minutes. If you are wearing contacts, first remove your contacts, and then flush your eyes with water. Immediately call for emergency help.

3. If it gets on you skin or clothes: Remove contaminated clothes. Gently wipe lye off of your skin. Pour vinegar over the affected area. Call for emergency help at once.

Creating soap can be a fun and safe activity for you to enjoy if you follow the safety precautions when handling the chemicals that you will be using. For more information on how to create soap, the chemicals you need to use and the safety procedures you need to observe, head on over to To learn More, Here! and check out the book “The Super Soap making Book” by Sandy Simmons. It’s a useful comprehensive guide designed for beginner soap makers that contains all the things you need to know to get started.

The Super Soap Making Book:
A Beginner’s Guide To Soap Making

To learn More, Here!

NOTE: Picture (s) and content are original and should not be used without permission of the author - Christophe Leroy - aka cleroy61, Copyright 2013, All rights reserved.

All third party products, brands or trademarks listed above are the sole property of their respective owners. No affiliation or endorsement is intended or implied.

Article 1 : Basic Homemade Soap Recipe That Makes Use Of Soap Scraps

I - Introduction : 

Did you know that soap scraps can be recycled and used to make whole bars of soap again? It’s a fun activity that’s very easy to do. And because no harmful chemicals are used when recycling soap scraps, you can even turn this into a project to keep kids occupied. It’s also a good starting point for soap making newbies to start learning the process of making soap and getting a feel of what it’s like.

Here are the equipment you’ll need for this project. Most of these are readily available in your kitchen. Just make sure to clean them properly afterwards and that you don’t leave soap residue on them. You don’t want soap on your food.

• Blender
• Cookie mold or cookie press
• Mixing bowl
• Knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Baking pan

II - Here are the ingredients that you need to gather together:

• 1/2 cup soap scraps
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of boiling water
• 1 teaspoon of your favorite spice for scent (cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, lemon etc.)
• 1 drop colorant (your desired color)

III - Here’s what you do:

1. Cut up the soap scraps into smaller pieces before putting them inside the blender. Blend together until scraps turn to crumbs.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together these ingredients: soap crumbs, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 table spoon of boiling water. If the soap crumbs look very dry, you made add 1 more tablespoon each of vegetable oil and water.

3. Add in your desired scent, then your preferred colorant. Stir the mixture well.

4. Pour the mixture into your baking pan and let it cool under a shade.

5. Once it has cooled, but still soft, use your cookie cutter or molds to cut out different shapes.

6. Set aside for a minimum of 24 hours to let the soap completely harden. Best results can be achieved if you can let the soap stand for 2 to 3 weeks.

You can make it more fun by adding ingredients such as finely ground oatmeal or green tea to add texture to your soap. You may add these ingredients together with your preferred scent in step 3.

Creating homemade soap is a lot of fun. If you want to know more about how to do this, or if you would like to get easy soap recipes like the one you just read, then check out “The Super Soap Making Book” by Sandy Simmons here:

The Super Soap Making Book:
A Beginner’s Guide To Soap Making

To learn More, Here!

NOTE: Picture (s) and content are original and should not be used without permission of the author - Christophe Leroy - aka cleroy61, Copyright 2013, All rights reserved.

All third party products, brands or trademarks listed above are the sole property of their respective owners. No affiliation or endorsement is intended or implied.